Where do we go from here: [Re]defining Design Excellence

Emerging professionals from previous summits welcomed a new cohort and collaboratively developed action plans focused on how to increase representation from communities of color amongst landscape architecture practitioners and professionals, as they are least represented demographically.

One of the emerging themes and conversations that differentiated this Summit was the notion of engaging and committing to design excellence. Recognizing that solutions to the complex challenges facing our built and natural environments require a multiplicity of voices and ideas, this can only be achieved by increasing representation of individuals sharing their voices and ideas. By reframing the conversation from “how do we address diversity in design” to “how can we achieve design excellence using the resources we have available” will be a leading theme as future detailed efforts develop.

ASLA’s complete report with prioritized action plans to be carried out over the next year by Summit attendees will be released by in the coming weeks. With deepest gratitude and fondest aloha, I thank ASLA for their bold commitment to further the cause by investing in each of the Summit participants not only as emerging professionals but as future leaders and champions.

Angelica joined HHF four years ago, a Fulbright Scholar with experience studying Japanese garden preservation practices in Kyoto, Japan. She also has expertise in designing outdoor play areas in Maori language immersion preschools (a part of her Master’s thesis) in New Zealand.